1.12.04

The work of João Pombeiro is based essentially on one or two Duchampian presumptions, on a few postmodernist avant-garde practices and on the constant denial of a clearly existing poetics, articulated by logics which are parallel to the ones used in common practices.

When observing the work of this author, easily we notice the constant use of methods based on irony, appropriation, sarcasm, citation and over all deconstruction and subversion. This subversion, not only contemplates everyday objects and experiences, but also any other aspect of the deepening of the microcosms of our being.

Another fundamental characteristic of his work is the never ending questioning of the artist’s role, of the art’s definitions, the concept of exhibition and the way that artistic context works, without ever supplying a convincing answer or an alternative in which he really believes.

Thus, we are sent to an deliberately obsessive, self-centered and self-contradictory universe , in which the choice and use of the medium – which can go from painting to video, passing by sculpture, photography, installations, or even design – assumes a big role in the denunciation of this universe.

João Pombeiro is a cynic, in the Hellenic sense of the term, who believes in drawing as a mental process, and makes art with a capital H, and the only thing that he desires is that no one blocks his sun.

4.4.04

5.2.04

Manuel João Vieira, ex-“Ena Pá 2000” e “Irmão Catita”, besides being a painter, is the author of a video wich is one of the works of the exhibition: " Portugal: 30 artists under 40", yesterday inaugurated by Jorge Sampaio, and Queen Sonja, in the Sternesen Museum, the most important museum of Contemporary art in Oslo .

“My contribution is a simple home video, with images taken from the mix of people that was my campaign Vieira 2001. It´s called “Vieira.com” and it’s a sub product of a wider performance”, stated the artist, who’s in Oslo integrated in Jorge Sampaio´s official comities.

A video where Cary Grant, in movie “North by Northwest” by Alfred Hitchcock, throws himself into a crop to runaway from a plane, in the middle of a desert landscape, is also presented in the exhibition. João Pombeiro, the author of the video, just erased the plane from Hitchcock´s movie, making Cary Grant look like a crazy man who throws himself into the ground, once, again, and again.

Lots of irreverence and color characterizes this exhibition ´s selected works, which isn’t very consensual: there’s a rug, 2m by 2m made out of chewed pink bubble gum, by João Pedro Vale, portraits by Paulo Mendes and Eva Mota, a panel by Alice Geirinhas, telling the story of a Portuguese emigrant’s daughter in Paris, with lots of misspell words, and a religious cross made out of Legos.

The idea of making an exhibition like this is to project Portuguese contemporary art in Norway, where is not much known. Two Jorge Sampaio´s assistants chose the Sternesen Museum because of it’s a well positioned institution in the European art circuits, with connections with Documenta, in Kassel.

Last night, at the museum´s bar, Manuel João Vieira presented himself in a “performance” promoted by posters inspirited in “Tenório Tuna fish” commercials, “singing since1919”, in this case “singing since1970”.